Cava and Other Sparklers

Just in time for the holidays, a collection of fantastic sparkling wines from GDP

This shows impressive complexity on the nose with layered nut, honeycomb, toast, dried fruit and vegetal floral aromas. Fine mousse combined with a broad yet transparent feel in the mouth gives this a lovely presence, both sophisticated and elegant. The flavors are perhaps a touch light on the palate with a hint of something vaguely cherried sitting atop lemon, sour apple and bosc pear skin notes. The fruit here is subtle yet fresh with a lovely interplay on the finish between the fruity and earthy sides to this wine. Very nicely done. 88pts

Floral and cheesy on the nose with a nice underlay of apple and lime zest fruit. Lovely on entry, this shows a hint of firmness in the mouth with crystal clear citrus and apple fruit flavors that recall sweet fruit without obvious sugar. The finish is clean and crisp, and shows a bit more sweetness but at the same time this is fresh and easy to drink with great apple fruit. 87pts

A bit sweet and citrussy on the nose with some slightly funky earthy notes. Soft in the mouth with fairly refined bubbles. This is well-balanced and round showing off a nice blend of green and yellow citrus notes, a little yeasty complexity and lovely apple and pear flavors. A little sweet but at the same time well balanced with penetrating acidity that drives the finish. 87pts

Intensely aromatic with huge notes of bitter apples, melon, sharp herbs and fresh, polleny flowers on the nose. With a slightly coarse mousse, and obvious sweetness in the mouth this is a bit clunky after the nose, though there is a nice balance between the powdered sugar coated fresh lemon fruit and a gentle underlying bitter, yeasty edge, all topped with gentle herbal notes. The finish is tight and short at first with almost with a hint of tannin and some creamy vanilla notes, but a little bit of air frees it up and this reveals an exceptionally long and intensely flavored finish. This comes together nicely in a sligthly rough around the edges style, though it offers a lot of cava for the money. 87pts

Pear skin and blanched almonds greet the nose along with subtle quince, strawberry and lightly floral aromas. Smooth and polished in the mouth with a broad mouthfeel. This has excellent depth of flavor showing off complex fresh and dried fruit flavors of dates, peach and apple fruits wrapped up in slightly creamy, yeasty and almond-inflected winemaking. The finish is decidedly perfumed and shows good length with a slightly spicy, lifted character. 87pts

Bright, clean and fresh on the nose with light dried yellow fruit notes balanced by the gentle yeast and nut aromas. Lovely balance in the mouth with refreshing acidity, a gentle sweetness that helps add a little flesh in the mouth and a really fine, gentle mousse. The flavors here tend towards light dried peach and apple fruits with subtle details added by the gentle nut meat, flower pollen, and cheese rinds accents. The finish is long and zesty with rich candied lemon fruit and a hint of cheesiness on the finale. 87pts

I dont know if any of these family cava cellers get to the other side of the atlantic, but it is worth to know or to have heard of these brands: Miquel Pons (with his Eulalia de Pons Brut Reserva), and all of the sparkling wines of Rimarts. Rico, rico ...............

I agree with earlier comment on Codorniu. Their production doesn' t (or didn't) rely so heavily on export but seems to be more true to the traditional Catalonial style. Thus I generally tend to prefer their cavas over Freixenet's.

I know a guy who once worked with the Freixenet company and he was told (by the boss, indeed) that the way to serve Cava was to chill it so much that ice crystals formed in the glass as you poured it. Which is terrific if you're in, say, Madrid, on a hot June night, less so in England in winter. Still, my routine is to get the stuff down to a hairsbreadth above absolute zero, and what do I find but a nice prickly mousse, followed by a hint of burnt caramel on the tongue, then a ferocious poof as it expands rapidly across the floor of the mouth like a CO2 fire extinguisher, leaving only a chesty rasp in its wake. It passes the time very agreeably, especially when you consider what we paid.

Great article!! I too wish that Codorniu was represented above. Especially Anna de Codorniu Brut, the first cava to introduce Chardonnay in it's cuve - which I believe you referred to in your article. Also try to the Anna de Codorniu Brut Rose - 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay.